1926 - the beginning of "Old Route 66".  It was designed to follow the "Old National Trails", such as the Santa Fe, Grand Canyon and Needles National Trails. The Helendale /Victor Valley area became the major link between desert outposts and the community of "Pueblo de Los Angeles" via such trails as the Mojave Trail, Old Spanish Trail, Santa Fe Trail, The Mormon Trail and the Sanford Freight Road-all linking up through the Cajon Pass.

Cajon Pass 1931

Between Victorville, which isn't on the Old Route 66 highway, and Barstow, old Route 66 survives as an “old roads” trek across the Mojave Desert. The 36-mile route, called the National Old Trails Highway, parallels the railroad tracks and the usually parched Mojave River, passing through odd little towns like  Helendale, Lenwood, and Oro Grande, which is still home to a huge cement plant and lots of roadside junk shops.

Passing through Oro Grande and into the Victor Valley the historical Mojave Trail, the Santa Fe Trail, the Mormon Trail, and the Spanish Trail converged to lead to Cajon Pass, the only gateway through the San Bernardino Mountains negotiable by wagon trains. Along this trail traveled Indians, Spanish Padres, trappers, explorers, and scouts who lead wagon trains through, as well as members of military scout detachments protecting the travelers from marauders. Indians from the interior land, Father Hermenegildo Garces, Jedediah Smith, Kit Carson all trod the famous trails Through here passed a large caravan of Mormons on their way from Salt Lake City to settle and build the city of San Bernardino.

One of the greatest assets of this area is the Mojave River. Having its source in the streams and creeks below Lake Arrowhead (which has a wonderful spa!) and Lake Gregory, the Mojave is fed from the timbered watersheds of the San Bernardino Mountains. While many sections of it run underground, reliable sources and records show that at the Victorville narrows and for a distance ending directly north of Oro Grande it has never run dry.

September 25, 1993, a memorial commemorating "Old Route 66" was placed by the Mojave Historical Society and the community of Helendale. The site of this memorial is located approximately 100 yards South of the intersection of "National Trails Highway" - "Old Route 66" and Vista Road on the Westerly side of the road just North of the existing commercial center.

Oro Grande, Helendale and Lenwood are sleepy little towns and there are no RV parks.  You may want to consider making this a day trip and driving to Barstow, our next stop, for a place to stay in your RV.